This winter charades game holds 120 cold-weather moments and no holiday, so it works in January and for groups that do not mark Christmas. Cards run from Skating backward to A luge run. Press Start round and hand over the phone.
Five topics, three levels
Leave All on, or pick one topic. Snow and ice, Indoors and keeping warm, and Bundling up and getting around are moments most players have lived. Winter sports and Animals in winter ask for more: 8 of the 27 sports cards are Hard, such as A skeleton run. Easy is one clear motion, like Shuffling along an icy sidewalk.
For a classroom or a snow day
Press Print cards for slips to cut apart: with All and Any level, one press prints all 120. For young players choose Easy, 42 cards that need no explaining. The full list under the tool gives an acting hint for each card, and some end with a fact: emperor penguins do take turns in the middle of the huddle.
Tips
Sports cards need floor space. Mime the slide or the landing on the spot, and Skip any card that does not suit the actor.
As a house rule, shivering is allowed and chattering teeth are not: the actor makes no sound at all.
Questions and answers
How do you play a winter charades game?
Split into teams. One actor takes the phone, presses Start round and acts each card in silence while teammates guess. Tap Next card after a correct guess and Skip to pass. Charades rules vary widely, so agree yours first. A correct guess scores one point.
Is this the same as Christmas charades?
No. No card here mentions a holiday, a gift or a decoration, so the deck suits January, February and groups that do not mark Christmas. For Santa, presents and decorating, use the Christmas charades generator.
Can kids play this winter charades game?
Yes. Every card is clean, and the 42 Easy cards, such as A dog shaking snow off its coat, take no explaining. Hard leans on sports a young child may not know. For one-word cards, use the charades generator for kids.
Do you need snow to play?
No. Everything is mimed indoors. Players who have never seen snow do best with Animals in winter and with Indoors and keeping warm, where a card such as Hot chocolate that is too hot to drink needs no winter at all.
A figure inside a snow globeStand frozen in a pose, get shaken hard, watch the snow swirl around you, and settle back as it falls.
A snowball down the back of your collarTake the hit on the neck, arch your back, dance on the spot, and shake your shirt out.
A snowplow clearing the streetHold your arms out as an angled blade, push along steadily, and throw the snow to one side.
An icicle dripping, then fallingHang stiff with your hands pointed overhead, drip with one finger, crack, and drop.
Blowing bubbles that freezeDip a wand, blow gently, watch the bubble land and frost over, touch it, and see it shatter.
Blowing clouds with your breathBreathe out slowly, watch the cloud, puff three small ones, and try a smoke ring.
Catching snowflakes on your mittenHold out a flat hand, watch one land, bring it close to look, and see it vanish.
Defending a snow fortDuck behind the wall, stack snowballs, pop up, throw, and duck again as one sails over.
Show all 120 winter charades ideas (112 more)
Snow and ice, continued
Digging a tunnel into a snowdriftOn your knees, scoop snow back between your legs like a dog, crawl in, and peek out.
Drawing a giant face in the snow with a stickDrag two big eyes and a long smile, step back to look, and add ears.
Frost spreading across a windowStart curled in one corner and let your fingers creep outward like ferns until you fill the frame.
Getting up from a snow angel without spoiling itSweep your arms and legs, then try to stand without leaving a handprint: rock, reach, and hop clear.
Giving a snowman your own scarfSet the head on top, stand back, shiver, then unwind your scarf and tie it on him.
Knocking snow off your boots at the doorStamp, kick the step, tap heel against toe, and check the sole.
Losing a mitten in deep snowNotice a bare hand, retrace your steps, dig, and pull out a mitten frozen stiff.
Lost in a whiteoutWalk with an arm across your eyes, lose the path, turn a full circle, and feel for a fence.
Making the first footprints in fresh snowStop at the edge, place one careful foot, look back at the print, then stomp out a pattern.
Packing a snowball with bare handsScoop, pack, blow on your fingers, pack again, and shake your hands out.
Shoveling the driveway as the plow buries it againDig and toss, finish, lean on the shovel, watch the plow go by, slump, and start again.
Shuffling along an icy sidewalkTiny flat steps, arms out, one wobble, freeze, and carry on even slower.
Sledding down the hill backwardSit down, push off, find you are facing uphill, grip the sides and lean.
Sliding across a frozen puddleTake two quick steps, glide with your arms out, and pinwheel at the far end.
Snow sliding off a branch onto your headWalk under a tree, look up, take it full in the face, and shake like a dog.
Testing the ice at the edge of a pondTap it with a toe, tap it with a stick, hear a crack, and back away slowly.
Towing a sled whose rider keeps falling offLean into the rope, feel it go light, look back, walk back, load up, and lean in again.
Walking in someone else's footprints through deep snowStretch each stride to land in the print ahead, wobble, miss one and sink to the knee.
Winter sports 27
A biathlete at the shooting rangeSki in hard, drop flat, slow your breathing, take five careful shots, and ski off. Biathlon combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.
A downhill racer in a tuckPoles under your arms, crouch low, lean left and right through the gates, and look up at the clock.
A figure skater waiting for the scoresSit on a bench out of breath, wave at a camera, hug a soft toy, and stare up at the board.
A four-person bobsled startPush at a run on the spot, climb in one after another, tuck your heads down, and lean as one through the turns.
A halfpipe runDrop in, ride up one wall, grab and twist, ride up the other, land, and throw your arms up.
A hockey goalie making a glove saveCrouch wide, track the puck with your eyes, snap the glove up, and hold the pose.
A luge runLie on your back, feet first, rock on the start handles, then steer with tiny presses of calf and shoulder. Luge is ridden face up and feet first.
A skeleton runPush a low sled at a bent-over run on the spot, lower yourself onto it face down, and hold your chin up. Skeleton is ridden face down and head first.
A ski jumper sticking the landingCrouch down the ramp, spring, lean out over your skis, and land with one foot ahead of the other and your arms wide.
A snowboarder strapping inSit in the snow, ratchet both bindings, rock up to standing, and hop to get moving.
A snowplow stop on the bunny slopeSkis in a wedge, knees in, arms forward, slower and slower, then tip over at no speed at all.
A speed skater in the turnCrouch low, one arm behind your back, cross one foot over the other, and swing the free arm.
Carrying skis and poles across a parking lotClomp heel to toe, let the skis slide off your shoulder, tangle the poles, and gather it all up.
Cross-country skiing uphillPoint your skis out in a V, waddle up, slide back a step, and dig in with the poles.
Delivering a curling stoneCrouch, lunge out smoothly off one foot, slide, and let go with a gentle turn of the handle. Rotating the stone at release is what makes it curl.
Driving a sled dog teamStand on the runners, hang on as the dogs lunge, lean into the bend, and step on the brake.
Driving the ice resurfacerSit up high, steer slow laps, look back at the shining strip, and wave to the crowd.
Fetching the puck from a snowbankWatch the shot sail wide, trudge over, dig with your stick, dig with your glove, and hold it up.
First time on ice skates, hugging the railGo hand over hand along the boards, feet sliding away, let go for one second and grab on again.
Getting off a chairliftTips up, shuffle forward on the seat, stand, glide away, and look back, relieved.
Pulling on ski bootsForce a foot in, stamp, close four buckles with effort, and walk like a robot.
Skating backwardPush your heels out and in, look over one shoulder, and windmill when you drift.
Snow tubing, spinning all the way downSit in a ring, grip the handles, spin as you go, and stand up dizzy.
Stepping on your own snowshoesWalk with your feet wide apart, tread on one frame with the other, tip forward, and recover.
Sweeping the ice ahead of a curling stoneScrub a broom fast beside the stone as you walk, stop on a shout, and watch it glide. Sweeping makes the stone travel farther and straighter.
Waiting for a bite at an ice fishing holeCrank a drill through the ice, sit on a bucket, jig the line, shiver, and wait.
Waxing skisDrip wax along the ski, iron it in, scrape in long strokes, brush, and sight down the base.
Animals in winter 22
A bear settling down for the winterYawn hugely, scratch, turn around three times, curl up, open one eye, and sleep.
A caribou pawing through snow for foodScrape with a front hoof, push your nose into the hole, chew, and move on a step.
A cat claiming the radiatorKnead the spot, turn around, and melt over the edge with one paw hanging down.
A dog shaking snow off its coatTrot in, brace your legs, shake from nose to tail, and look pleased with the mess.
A dog that does not want to go out in the snowGet led to the door, plant all four feet, touch the snow with one paw, and pull it back.
A duck landing on a frozen pondGlide in feet first, touch down, skid, spin once, and sit with dignity.
A groundhog asleep below the frost lineDig down, plug the door behind you, curl into a ball, and breathe very slowly. Groundhogs are true hibernators and often dig a separate winter burrow.
A husky that refuses to come indoorsLie in the snow in bliss, lift your head at a call, roll over, and stay put.
A penguin huddle, taking turns in the middleShuffle in tiny steps, shoulder to shoulder, from the cold edge to the warm middle and back out. Emperor penguins huddle so that each bird gets a turn inside.
A penguin tobogganing on its bellyLean far forward or lie down, arms back as flippers, and push along with your feet.
A polar bear waiting at a seal's breathing holeLie flat beside a hole in the ice without a twitch for a long time, then strike with both paws.
A snow monkey rolling a snowball for funPat a small ball, roll it along on all fours, carry it off under one arm, and guard it.
A snowshoe hare in its white winter coatHop on big back feet that do not sink, then freeze against the snow, sure nobody can see you.
A snowy owl turning its headSit upright and still, swivel your head slowly a long way around, and blink one eye at a time.
A squirrel digging up a nut it buriedSniff, dig fast, wrong spot, dig again, find it, stuff it in a cheek, and look both ways.
A wood frog frozen until the thawCrouch, slow down, and stop: no breath, no blink. Then one finger twitches, a leg, and you hop. A frozen wood frog has no heartbeat and no breathing.
An arctic fox asleep under its own tailCurl up tight, tuck in your legs and head, and wrap a big tail over your nose against the cold.
An arctic fox pouncing through the snowTilt your head to listen, freeze, leap straight up, and come down nose and front paws first. It can hear lemmings moving under the snow.
An emperor penguin balancing an egg on his feetHeels together, shuffle without lifting your toes, look down to check, and tuck your belly over it. The male balances the egg on the tops of his feet.
Birds squabbling at the feederLand, peck, get shouldered off by a bigger bird, hop back, and peck faster.
Musk oxen in a ring around their calvesFace outward, head low, shoulder to shoulder with oxen made of air, and stamp. The adults face outward in a ring around the calves.
Snow monkeys in a hot springSink in to the shoulders with a sigh, snow on your head, eyes half shut, and groom a neighbor. Japanese macaques bathe together in hot springs.
Indoors and keeping warm 22
A power outage on a winter nightThe lights go, freeze, feel along the wall, find a flashlight, shake it, and put on a second coat.
A static shock from the doorknobShuffle across the carpet in socks, reach out, get zapped, and try again with a sleeve over your hand.
Blocking the draft under the doorRun a hand along the gap, shiver, roll up a towel, push it in place with your foot, and test again.
Building a blanket fortDrape a blanket over two chairs, weigh down the corners, crawl inside, and feel it sag onto your head.
Carrying in an armful of firewoodStack logs up to your chin, open the door with an elbow, and try to pick up the one you dropped.
Drying a wet dog at the doorHold up a towel, get shaken on first, rub the back, then lift and dry one paw at a time.
Drying wet mittens on the radiatorPeel them off, wring them out, line them up, turn them over, and test one against your cheek.
Filling a hot water bottlePour with care from a kettle, squeeze the air out, screw the cap on, and hug it.
Finishing a jigsaw puzzle with one piece missingPress in the last few pieces, stare at the hole, search the table, the floor, the box and your pockets.
Getting into a cold bedDive under the covers, curl up tight, rub your feet together, and stretch out bit by bit.
Glasses fogging up when you come indoorsStep inside, go blind, take them off, wipe them, put them on, and fog up again.
The heating bill arrivesOpen an envelope, read, widen your eyes, put on a sweater, turn the dial down, and put on another sweater.
Hot chocolate that is too hot to drinkBlow, sip, flinch, fan your tongue, blow again, and wait with your eyes on the mug.
Ice on the inside of the windowScratch at the glass with a fingernail, find the ice is on your side, shiver, and draw a face in it.
Knitting with a cat after the yarnKnit a row, feel the yarn tug, pull back, lose, and lift a cat off your lap.
Pulling off a snow boot, and the sock comes tooTug with both hands, hop, send the boot flying, stand on a cold floor, and fish the sock out.
The shortest day of the yearWake, stretch, watch the sun come up, watch it go straight back down, check your watch, shrug, and go back to bed.
Thawing a frozen pipe with a hair dryerTurn the faucet, get nothing, tap along the pipe, warm it with a hair dryer, and cheer at the first trickle.
Thawing frozen fingers under the faucetHold them under the water, wince as the feeling comes back, and shake your hands out.
Turning up the thermostat when nobody is lookingLook both ways, nudge the dial, stroll off, then come back as someone else and turn it down.
Warming your back at the wood stoveBack up to it, sigh, get too hot, hop away, and creep back again.
Wrapped in a blanket, reaching for the remoteStretch one arm out of the cocoon, fall short, and inch the whole bundle along the sofa.
Bundling up and getting around 23
A balaclava with only your eyes showingPull it on, line up the eye hole, and try to sip a drink through the wool.
A zipper stuck on a coatTug, look down, wiggle it, brace and heave, and give up with the coat half open.
Brushing a foot of snow off the carSweep the roof with your arm, get snow down your sleeve, clear the lights, and find it is not your car.
De-icing a planeRide up in a bucket lift, spray the wing in long sweeping arcs, and give the cockpit a thumbs up.
Dressing a toddler for the snowFeed arms into sleeves, zip up, hat, mittens, boots, stand back, and watch a small hand point at the bathroom.
Frozen laundry on the lineUnpeg a shirt as stiff as a board, carry it in flat, and stand a pair of jeans up on the floor.
Heading south for the winterPack a sun hat, lock up shivering, travel a long way, unfold a beach chair, and put on sunglasses.
Hopping on one foot to get into snow pantsOne leg in, hop, hop, lean on a wall, second leg in, and pull up the straps.
Jump-starting a carProp the hood, clamp one cable, then the other, signal the other driver, turn the key, and give a thumbs up.
Pulling a tight turtleneck over your headGet stuck halfway with your arms up, stagger blind, pop through, and smooth your hair.
Pushing a snow blowerPull the cord three times, feel it roar, walk behind it, aim the chute, and take the spray in the face.
Putting boots on a dogHold a paw, slip a boot on, do all four, and watch the dog high-step as if the floor were hot.
Putting on gloves, then trying to zip upGloves on, fumble at the zipper, pull one glove off with your teeth, zip, and glove up again.
Putting on tire chainsLay the chains out, drape them over a tire, reach behind to hook them with frozen fingers, and roll forward a foot.
Scraping the windshield with a plastic cardMake tiny scrapes, blow on your fingers, and peer through a clear patch the size of a fist.
Snow sliding off the roof as you step outsideOpen the door, hear a rumble, look up, and jump back as it lands where you stood.
Spinning your wheels in a snowbankRock at the wheel, forward and back, get out, kick snow from a tire, wedge in a floor mat, and try again.
Spreading salt on the front stepsScoop from a bag, scatter it like feeding hens, and test the top step with one toe.
Thawing a frozen car lock with your breathPush at the key, breathe on the lock, warm the key in your hands, and jiggle it in.
Tying your boots in a puffy coatArms stiff at your sides, bend, fail to reach the laces, rock, and try sitting down.
Waiting for the bus in the coldStamp your feet, hunch, check your watch, peer down the road, and blow into your hands.
Wearing earmuffs and hearing nothingNod at someone talking, frown, lift one muff, say what, and put it back.
Winding on a very long scarfGo around and around until only your eyes show, then look for the end.
How this list was compiled: Written for this site by the editors; nothing was copied from another list. Every card is a winter moment to act out, and none of the 120 has a holiday in it, so the deck works in January and for groups that do not mark Christmas: 26 Snow and ice cards, 27 Winter sports, 22 Animals in winter, 22 Indoors and keeping warm and 23 Bundling up and getting around. Subjects such as curling, the penguin huddle and the stuck zipper also appear in this site's winter drawing words and winter bingo lists, but every card here is worded as an action for an actor, and on 2026-09-20 no card had the same text as a card in any other list on this site. Where the Christmas charades deck touches the same subject (a snowman, a snowball, a ski jump), this deck uses a different moment. The line under each card in the full list is the editors' acting hint. Where a hint ends with a fact about a sport or an animal, the fact was checked on 2026-09-20 against the English Wikipedia article for it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling (sweeping lets the stone travel farther and straighter; rotating the stone at release makes it curl), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biathlon (cross-country skiing and rifle shooting, five targets), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luge (face up and feet first, a seated start from handles), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeleton_%28sport%29 (face down and head first, a running start), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobsleigh (the crew pushes the sled before boarding), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski_jumping (a landing with one foot in front of the other), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emperor_penguin (the huddle gives each bird a turn inside, the male balances the egg on his feet, tobogganing on the belly), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arctic_fox (hears lemmings under the snow and pounces, sleeps curled behind its tail), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Snowshoe_hare (large hind feet, a white winter coat), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_macaque (bathes in hot springs and rolls snowballs for fun), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polar_bear (waits without moving at a breathing hole), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reindeer (caribou paw through snow for food), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muskox (adults face outward in a ring around the calves), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wood_frog (survives being frozen, with no heartbeat or breathing) and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groundhog (true hibernation, often in a separate winter burrow below the frost line). Left out because the article read did not say it: that a luge rider paddles with spiked gloves, how a ski jumper holds the skis in the air, and what a caribou finds under the snow. Levels are the editors' judgment of how hard a card is to guess: Easy is one clear motion, Medium is a short scene, Hard is a sport, an animal or a moment that needs a few beats to read. Licence: own work